Abstract
Invasive marine species (IMS) are thought to be one of the most serious anthropogenic threats to global marine biodiversity. There are numerous reports of IMS being introduced into new areas throughout the world, but relatively few are in tropical locations. It has been suggested that this is an artefact of our lack of knowledge species present in the megadiverse tropics and a lack of IMS surveys. The Pilbara in northern Western Australia (WA) is used as a case study to examine these questions. The area is at high risk of IMS because of extensive international shipping. A detailed literature search of marine biodiversity studies developed a database of 5,532 species recorded in the Pilbara. There have been numerous surveys for species on the Australian national and WA IMS lists but only one, the ascidian Didemnum perlucidum Monniot, 1983, has been found.
Highlights
Policy and management responses and actions for control or eradication of invasive species are frequently made more challenging by declarations by experts that the species is “established.” The criterion “established” creates a challenge – or perhaps even a problem – for researchers and managers for several reasons
We discuss the use of a particular term – “established” – when confronting management decisions for invasive species
Our objective is to contribute to bridging the gap between the realms of conceptual development and management with respect to use of the term “established”
Summary
Policy and management responses and actions for control or eradication of invasive species are frequently made more challenging by declarations by experts that the species is “established.” The criterion “established” creates a challenge – or perhaps even a problem – for researchers and managers for several reasons. Established is a trigger word among those who manage invasive species and may have to set policy or rules based on laws, one that invokes the idea that there is nothing that can be done. This attitude may be shared among stakeholders. The challenge is intensified because the word established is not clearly or consistently defined in laws that govern creation of policies. It is rarely defined in the scientific literature, and can be used with different meanings even within a publication
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